News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1887-03-10

tiiaue, tne quiet captain sauntered on
telling the Others to pick him up a
Farmers cottage. Charley, my husband
was at home.
i think your sensible young fellow
Farmer" said the sailor. "Just put ,
lew OF your wife's things in a carpet bas
or box; and I'll take them to Wey
mouth. The yacht will get wet, 1 ex
pect." Charley was not so much sur
prlsed, as he had been talking will
Barnes the fisherman. But he said
III bring them over, sir, thank yoI
heartily"
No, come with US. You can sit with
Roberts. Make haste. Have you any
clothes-line ready?"
tClothes=line!,, exclaimed Charley
PLENTY
Then bring it. Bring all you have
1t will do to tie up the other bundles, ,
he muttered.
Charley's preparations had scarcely
been completed when the wagonette
came in sight.
"Here you are thenl" exclaimed Cap.
tain Henry; ''you seem determined tC
bring luggage enough"
'Just change all around" was the
reply. "All ri ght!"
The coachman touched his hor
ses gently with the whip, and of
they started. The breeze was strong
but inland the people were sheltered
1t was different with us in the Firehy.
We got on very we'll for awhile; the
breeze was rather behind us, and sent US
dashing along beautifully. By degrees,
however, the yacht began to plunge
deeper and deeper. The sea got up,
and broke on board frequently. didn't
care, as | was accustomed to salt water,
and minded the boy.
Lady Pardock came and stood by me-
81 think Captain Armstrong was right,
Mrs Farmer" she said. 81 heard the
master tell Mr.. Hemphill that the wind
was veering to the southwest" At that
moment Mr. Hemphlll came up with
Mrs. Cardewe, who was glad to lie back
in the stern of the yacht and be covered
with shawls and tarpaulins. She looked
wretched
81 think that it will be more prudent
to run for Weymouth at once" sad Mr..
Hemphill. If we put into Ludworth =
supposing we can make the entrance,
which is doubtful-we can get no real
accommodation. Now at Weymouth we
can, and there are the train and the tel
egraph, plenty of shops, and so on"
The ladies agreed to the suggestion,
and the yacht was headed for Portland
Bill. Even Lady Pardock had had
enough of the sea water before sunset.
The waves dashed in and forced us to go
below. The wind rose, as any one W o
remembers that afternoon in September
will recollect. 1t got fierce by five
o'clock and positively boisterous by six.
Great waves rolled up from the south
west, and we plunged fearfully into the
sea. We had only jib on her, and two
reefs in the mainsail were taken in.
Nevertheless we plunged o to wind
ward, for the captain did not dare to
turn now and ''scud." We tackled and
tackled, beating on until the sun went
down and we did not seem to be much
nearer weymouth or Portland Roads,
for which we were aiming. From Port
land Island the great Chesil Beach,
knew, and so did all the sailors, extend
ed right away to Bridport, where the
mighty Portland stones have dwindled
all shapes and sizes of pebbles
to sand and gravel; and the biggest
always the highest up the bank.
The captain or sailing master, was
brave enough, but anxious; the crew
were study; the gentlemen on board
were serious; the ladies very Ill and
quite careless of danger The little heir
was fast asleep in my arms, and as we
heeled over and listened to the slapping
and dashing of the waves outside and
the rush of water across the deck,
prayed earnestly and wondered whether
we should ever see Cardewe Manor
again.
1t was evening and we were past
Portland Bill. The captain said we
must 90 about and run in on the tide to
make all the leeway up. The wind was
on the Chesil Bank, and if | could do
some fine writing could tell you about
the curling tops of the masses of water
which poured on the shingle. But that
was nothing to the next days sea. Than
shall never forget.
The Firefy had been sighted and con-
siderable anxiety had been expressed
her. Little did think that among the
people who were watching US were
Charley and Captain Armstrong, in fear
for the result. Charley told me after
ward that the captain was as cool as
ever, and apparently afraid of getting
wet; so he hired a cab and drove down
through Weymouth to the Island, leav-
ing Mr.. and Mrs. Martyn-Henry at the
hotel to receive the party if they ran
alongside the pier safely.
The evening was deepening into q
clustering and stormy night, as Charley
and Captain Armstrong drove to Port.
land, and our yacht was driving on.
We were still below when the easier
motion of the yacht, consequent on OuI
running before the wind, induced us to
90 on deck Behind us was a limitless
tumbling sea, dark clouds and rain; in
front the Chesil bank. the island with
its quarries and its prisoners, and the
smooth waters of the roads beyond. In
an hour or so we should be riding along
side the pier or in the harbor or pulling
ashore to catch the train home. So we
said
But how is this? We are not going for
the harbor directl Yes, we are-what
is that behind us?-a roar, then flash,
and, another roar Blow, blow, good
wind, ere the storm overtake US, or we
shall fair badly. Flapi flap. The
wind has suddenly failed US. ''We are in
the very centre of little cyclonew So
said the captain.
"Bear a hand, men; we shall be taken
aback in a minute" shouted the master,
rushing to the tiller. "Furl, all-up
with her-leave the jib alone, clew W
the mainsail, smart2'
No time to lose. Flap! Boom come;
the wind from the northeast with rush.
The Firefy heels over like toy: the jill
strains. ''Up with the helmr The
canvass splits with fearful rending,
ripping report, and the yacht drives
down upon Portland
"Steady, men! All hands out of the
dinghy! Remember the woman and the
child Bend the foresail. Let her run p
roared the master. The yacht paid off,
and turning her back on the sea, rushed
down channel-alas! into tide eddy
which sucked her under the rocks oI
Portland Island as the wind veere6
again.
The soldiers at the Verne by this time
were crowded upon the cliffs to see the
"wreck." Some shouted for ropes, some
for rockets, but neither were forth
coming. The yacht drove in, and il
five minutes ran between two rocks,
where Ghe wind having chopped agar
to the sonthwest) she remained stern tc
sea-frequently swept by the waves, and
apparently with only few minutes tC
live We were screaming and in the
most terrible distress. Lady PardocB
alone said not word She took hel
child from my arms and said:
'Mrs. Farmer, try and save yourself
when the time comes, Jocelyn and
will die together"